


Beard

by Inner_Devil



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Beards (Relationships), Complete, F/M, M/M, Mention of sex, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-05
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-10 13:01:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11127489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inner_Devil/pseuds/Inner_Devil
Summary: John Watson has yet to come out as bisexual, so he decides to fake dating Mary Morstan to cover his relationship with Sherlock. But how long can he really keep it up?





	Beard

The day he'd finally gotten up the courage to ask out Sherlock Holmes was the happiest day of John's life, so far at least. Sherlock had said yes and they'd ended up going on a date that night at Angelo's. Everything was going well for the first couple of weeks. But then there was a bump in the road.

**_Is Shag-A-Lot Holmes Back?_ **

read the newspaper headlines. Apparently they'd seen Sherlock out with John and caught him giving what they described as "longing gazes" and "eye-fucking from across the room". The tabloids would do anything to get a story, but John couldn't let this go on.

"People talk. That's what they do, John. You know that," Sherlock replied casually when the topic was brought up in their flat. Sherlock was stretched out on the sofa, fingers steepled under his chin as he stared at the ceiling. John, however, was pacing as he stared at the paper.

"Yeah, but now they're talking about us. You said yourself you don't want this interfering with work. If they figure out this is true and we don't do something to stop it, they'll be calling nonstop about our relationship instead of clients calling with cases," John argued. But really there was something else bothering him about this.

"Yes, and if the tabloids can confirm it, your family can see it, and then they'll all know you're not so straight that a stripper's pole would be jealous of you," the brunet scoffed. "We both know what's really bothering you, John. You don't want people to know you're bisexual and not straight. You think they'll all assume you're gay because you're with a man now. And you're probably right. But even still, do you really want to hide our relationship? We've both waited for so long to have this. Why should we bother hiding it? It's no one's concern but ours."

But soon, Sherlock had his answer. John did want to hide it, even though he loved Sherlock. And not a week later, there was a new story in the paper.

_**Confirmed Bachelor John Watson Off the Market** _

_**Shag-A-Lot's Supposed Lover Now With a Woman** _

Sherlock sighed as he saw the headlines. John was seen all over town on "dates" with someone from his clinic: Nurse Mary Morstan. Blonde, just a bit shorter than John, average health, no pets, cat lover, bakes her own bread. They made a cute couple for the pictures and John did his best to appear in love with her. They met each other's eyes and smiled, kissed, fed each other, the usual couple things. And it made Sherlock wonder. Was he being a bad boyfriend? What was it one did when they were in a relationship? He needed to know. So he decided to research. Every time John was on a date, he studied the photographs in the papers, did online searches, talked to people online, did everything possible to get the data he needed. After months of watching John with this woman, he was ready to be the perfect boyfriend. 

"Sherlock, I'm home," John called out when he returned from yet another date. But when Sherlock didn't greet him from his usual spot on the sofa, John furrowed his brow and began to glance around. Then he noticed it. There was a trail of rose petals leading from the front door to the bedroom. And on the table in front of the sofa, there was a single rose with a note.

_Welcome home, darling. Come and see what you do to me. Our bedroom. ASAP. xxx_

That certainly didn't sound like Sherlock and it had John curious and a bit concerned. So he followed the trail and came to their now shared bedroom, knocking lightly on the closed door before letting himself in. 

"Sherlock? You in here?" he called softly before he stopped in his tracks. There on the bed was Sherlock in a pair of John's tight red pants, which hid even less on Sherlock as dark curls poked out from the sides. That was all he wore, his pale skin interrupted only by the red around his groin. John's jaw dropped as he stared.

"John....I missed you," Sherlock purred, getting out of the bed with tousled hair and coming over to snog John against the wall. "Why don't you let me show you how much?"

John felt a stirring in his pants and nodded, letting himself be half-stripped as they went to bed. kicking off his shoes and socks, he toppled them over so he could be on top only to have Sherlock flip them back over.

"Ah ah ah, tonight is all about you," the taller purred. John raised a brow, but let him continue as he reached down to undo his trousers.

"Tell me what you want," Sherlock breathed before nipping at John's ear. Well that was certainly new.

"I, uh....." John stammered. They'd never done something like that before. And suddenly it hit him. "I want you to tell me what's going on here."

Sherlock stopped, frowning down at John. "What do you mean? Isn't it obvious? I'm having sex with you and giving you everything you want," he insisted, then sighed as he sat back on his legs. "Isn't this what one does to make his boyfriend gain interest again?"

John sat up and chuckled a bit, smiling softly. "Is that what this is all about? You thought I was losing interest in you?" he asked, then reached forward and cupped Sherlock's cheek. "Sherlock, I love you. And I always will. Mary doesn't change that. I don't feel a thing for her. But.....let me prove it to you."

He hadn't realized how much this was hurting his lover, so he decided to ended it then and there. Grabbing his mobile, he dialed Mary's number and put her on speaker.

"Hello, love," Mary greeted, sounding chipper, if a bit confused. 

"Mary, you can stop that," John insisted. "Thanks for helping me out, but I can't do this anymore. It's hurting Sherlock too much and I have to stop for him and for us. I've got him here with me and I can't do this to him. So thanks again for helping me, but I'm coming out and I'm doing it with him."

Mary was a bit surprised, but she and John had talked about this when they first started the relationship. She knew he was with Sherlock and was trying to hide it by showing up with her in public places. And she hadn't expected him to break the news like this. But she was happy for him that he could finally be himself.

"Congratulations then, you two. Hope it's not too much of a media circus," she chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll be the distraught, shocked ex and give them something else to look at for a bit until it dies down. You two behave, yeah?"

"No promises," John chuckled. "Cheers, Mary. Really."

Then he hung up and smiled as he set his phone down. Sherlock was in absolute shock for a moment or two, then broke into a smile of his own. 

"I can't believe you just did that," he murmured.

"Why not? I'd do anything for you," John replied softly. "I love you."

"And I love you," Sherlock answered. "Did you really mean all of that? We're coming out together?"

"If you want to," John offered, smiling as Sherlock nodded. "That's that then. We can come out tomorrow though. Tonight, I want to show you just how much I love you. And you can lie back this time," he chuckled. And with that, both men were very, very happy.


End file.
